Shock and vibration proof receptacle for electric lamps



July 9, 193 J. N. MCTWIGGAN SHOCK AND VIBRATION PROOF RECEPTACLE F 0R ELECTRIC LAMPS Filed March 4, 1932.

Q, ATTORNEY of the receptacle.

has a bulbous anchoring portion ll.

Patented July 9, 1935 r PAT T ori ice SHOCK AND VIBRATION, PROOF RECEP TACLE FOR ELECTRIC LAMPS James N. McTwiggan, United States Navy Application March 4, 1932, Serial No. 596,829

4 Claims.

(Granted under the act of March 3, 1883,,as l amended April 30, 19281370 0. G. 757) This invention relates to are'ceptacleifor elec" tric lampsdesigned to prevent injury to the lamps by jarring or vibration of the wall or other body to which thereceptacle is aflixed.

It is the object of my'invention to provide a receptacle that will absorb vibration and shocks and not transmit them to a lamp mounted therein.

With the above and other objects in view, the inventionv consists in the construction, combination and arrangement of parts as will be described more fully hereinafter.

. Reference is to. be had to the accompanying drawing forming a part of this specification, in which like reference characters indicate corresponding parts throughout the several views, and inwhichr v Figure 1 is a side elevational view of my invention;

Figure 2 is a longitudinal section thereof on the line 2-2, Figure 1;

Figure 3 is a plan view, looking into the socket Electric lamps are used in many places, such as on ships, railroad cars, bridges, etc., where the lamps are subjected to heavy shocks and more or less constant vibration that have a destructive effect on the filaments unless some type of shockabsorbing mounting is employed. Tests have shown the life of a lamp to be several times longer when mounted in receptacles, embodying my invention than in receptacles previously used.

The base 4 is preferably of some insulating material having the necessary mechanical strength, with a flange 5 in which are suitable threaded apertures to receive the screws 1 to bind to the base the wires 8 and 9 that supply the current ,7

feed lines. 1

Socket II] is likewise of insulating material and Screw threaded bushing I2 in the socket is of conducting material, such as copper, and forms one of the connectionsbetween the receptacle and the filament, as is common practice. Anchoring portion I I is embedded in sponge rubber l3 or. equivalent material, preferably in the form of rings,

as' shown, disposed in base 4 where it is retained by flange M on the interior of the base and cap and deformation thereof and thus makes it impossible for the anchoring portion to pull out of the rubber. Wire 9 is connected to resilient metal tongue l6. that bears against the filament terminal in the end of the neck of the lamp. Wire 8 is connected to bushing l2. Tongues H on base 4 project into slots l8 in socket H] to prevent rotation of the socket when a lamp is being screwed receptacles will be thoroughly insulated against mechanical disturbances to which the base is subjected, owing to the very small elasticity (in the scientific sense) of the sponge rubber by which the socket I9 is supported from base 4.

Itwill be understood that the above description and accompanying drawing comprehend only the general and preferred embodiment of my invention, and that various changes in construction, proportion and arrangement of parts may be made within the scope of the appended claims, without sacrificing any of the advantages of my invention;

. The herein described invention may be manufactured and. used by or for the Government of the United States for governmental purposes without the payment of any royalty thereon.

I claim:

1. A lamp receptacle, comprising a hollow base, 1

an inwardly extending flange in said base, a plurality of rings of sponge rubber in said base, a socket having a bulbous anchoring portion seated inside said; rings, a threaded electrically conducting bushing in said socket, slack conducting means connected to said bushing, a resilient metal tongue in said socket, slack conducting means connected to said tongue, a closure secured to said base to retain said rings therein, and interengaging parts on said base and said socket to prevent relative rotation of the base and the socket.

2. Alarm) receptacle, comprising a hollow base, I

a plurality of rings of sponge rubber in said base, a socket having a bulbous anchoring portion of substantially greater diameter than the holes in said rings within which said portion is disposed, means to retain said rings in said base, a conducting bushing and a resilient metal tongue in said socket, conducting means connected to said bushing, othercon'ducting means connected to said tongue, and means to prevent relative rotation of said socket and said base.

3. A lamp receptacle, comprising a hollow base, a

a plurality of rings of sponge rubber in said base,

a socket having a bulbous anchoring portion, the said portion being disposed inside said rings and placing said rings under radial stress whereby said rings have an eifective frictional grip upon said portion, means to retain said rings in said base, and means in said socket to conduct current to a lamp operatively mountedtherein.

4. A lamp receptacle, comprising a hollow base, a plurality of rings of sponge rubber in said base,

a socket having a bulbous anchoring portion, the said portion being disposed inside said rings and the said rings having suflicient frictional engagement with said portion to prevent relative sliding movement of said portion with respect to said rings, means to retain said rings in said base, and means in said socket to conduct current to a lamp operatively mounted therein.

JAMES N. MCTWIGGAN. 

